Post surgical treatment for quadrupeds

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a protective garment for dogs and cats or other quadrupeds. Specifically, the garment is designed to protect wounds, incisions, surgical sites, and related lesions on the animal&#39;s body including thoracic and pelvic limbs, truncal area, and head and neck. Additionally the garment is designed to allow attachment of drain suction and similar medical devices.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/727,159 filed Nov. 16, 2012 which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

The present invention relates to a protective garment for dogs and catsor other quadrupeds. Specifically, the garment is designed to protectwounds, incisions, surgical sites, and related lesions on the animal'sbody including thoracic and pelvic limbs, truncal area, and head andneck. Additionally the garment is designed to allow attachment of drainsuction and similar medical devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In veterinary medicine, it is often necessary to prevent self-trauma inanimal patients. Instinctively, animals lick and chew at wounds to cleanthem. While this behavior has an evolutionary advantage, with the adventof modern wound management techniques, licking behavior slows woundhealing and makes wound management more difficult.

Animals also tend to dislike foreign materials attached to their body.These materials often include those meant to effect healing or assist inwound management, either surgical or traumatic. Surgical wounds areclosed with sutures or staples. These materials inherently cause someirritation to the patient and instinctively patients attempt to removethem via scratching or chewing. Adhesive bandages provide little benefitas they can be easily removed by the patient and do not adhere well tofur.

The consequences of self induced trauma can be severe. Wound healing istypically delayed due to wound contamination, such as those caused by,etc. oral bacteria. The resulting wound infection may progress to deeperstructures resulting in significant patient morbidity and medicalexpenses.

Classically Elizabethan collars have been used to prevent self inducedtrauma. These devices are problematic as they significantly restrictbasic animal functions including vision, prehension of food, eating, andhearing. The devices are additionally irritating to the animal resultingis stress, discomfort, and behavioral abnormalities

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention describes a protective garment for dogs, cats andother quadrupeds that prevents the animal from licking or disturbing atreated area or disrupting stitches or sutures. This garment includesthree pieces of multi-directional stretch fabric having a torso portion,a leg portion and a head portion. In one aspect of the garment, the legportion is fully removable from the torso portion if needed for easierdefecation or urination purposes

The garment employs a multi-directional stretch fabric allowing for easeof motion while at the same time the snug fit disallows the quadrupedthe chance to reach the wounds, incisions, surgical sites, and/orrelated lesions on the quadruped's body. The garment is easy to removeand replace as needed

A fastener closes the mid-section opening of the garment around thetorso down the back. Another fastener is placed on the torso portionbehind the head as well as on the end of the torso portion toward thetail to allow for the attachment of the leg portion whether it be theright or left thoracic or pelvic limb Another fastener is used on theside of the upper area of the torso portion to allow for the attachmentof the strap around the thoracic area to the opposite side. Anotherfastener is used to secure the head portion of the garment to the headof the quadruped down to the brow area and covering the ears and neckarea.

The torso portion of the garment is fitted with four loops sewn intoboth sides of the garment using a multi-directional stretch fabric; oneloop is sewn into the left front side of the garment, one loop is sewninto the left back side of the garment, one loop is sewn into the rightfront side of the garment, and one loop is sewn into the right back sideof the garment. The purpose of the loop design is to securely hold adrain suction or other medical device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a shows a right side view of the torso portion, leg portion andhead portion of the present invention.

FIG. 1 b shows a left side view of the torso portion of the presentinvention.

FIG. 1 c shows a front view of the torso portion of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 shows a right side view of the head portion of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 shows a top view of torso portion of the present the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 a-3 describe various aspects of the present invention. Asillustrated, the garment configuration allows a torso portion, 1, of thegarment to be easily removed, a leg portion, 7, of the garment to beeasily removed, a head portion, 11, of the garment which actsindependently from the torso portion and leg portion, and which also iseasily removed. In an important aspect, the protective garment of theinvention may include three completely detachable pieces each made of amulti-directional four way stretch fabric. The leg portion, 7, is easilyreattached to the torso portion, 1, of the garment by taking thefastening mechanism, 8, sewn into the leg portion and bringing it up tothe fastening mechanism, either 9 and/or 10, sewn into the torso portionat both the nape area and rump area and securing.

FIG. 1 a shows a right side view of one important aspect of theinvention. In this aspect of the invention, the protective garment,using a multi-dimensional stretch fabric, having a torso portion, 1, aleg portion, 7, and a head portion, 11, wherein the protective garmentincludes a torso opening, 3, with one single piece of amulti-dimensional stretch fabric split on top of the back from thewithers down towards the rump, allowing the torso portion that wrapsunder the belly area, 2, and around to the top torso opening, 3, toremain intact. The edges of the leg openings, 7 a and 7 b, the headopening, 11 a, and the torso openings, 1 a and 1 b, may be finished witha seam to prevent fraying.

FIG. 1 a, FIG. 1 b and FIG. 1 c show in another important aspect of theinvention, fasteners, 4, close the torso opening, 3, of the garment.Another fastener, 6, as seen in FIG. 1 b, is placed on the left or rightside of the garment on the torso portion, 1, at the shoulder area, andused to secure the thoracic strap, 5, as shown in FIG. 1 c, furthersecuring the garment to the body of the quadruped. Another fastener, 10, is sewn into the top of the torso portion of the garment closest tothe nape of the neck for the purpose of securing the leg portion strap,8, to the torso portion, 1, when leg portion, 7, is used on the rightand/or left forelegs. Another fastener, 9, is sewn into the top of thetorso portion, 1, closest to the rump for the purpose of securing theleg portion, 7, to the torso portion, 1, when the leg portion, 7, isused on the right and/or left hind legs. Other fasteners, 12 and 13, areused to secure the head portion to the head of the quadruped.

FIG. 1 a and FIG. 1 b, in another important aspect of the invention,show that the fasteners, 4,9,10,12 and 13, as seen in FIG la, andfastener, 6, as seen in FIG. 1 b, may include hook and eye, snaps,zippers, buttons or other fasteners within the scope of the invention.In a very important aspect of the invention, Velcro may be used as thefastener due to its ability to fasten securely and easily.

FIG. 1 a and FIG. 1 b show another important aspect of the invention. Inthis aspect using same multi-directional stretch fabric, loops, 15 a and15 b, as seen in FIG. 1 a, are sewn into the right side of the torsoportion, 1, of the garment and loops, 16 a and 16 b, as seen in FIG. 1b, are sewn into the left side of the torso portion, 1, for the purposeof securely attaching a drainage bulb or other medical device

FIG. 2 shows a right side view of the protective garment of the presentinvention focusing on the head portion. The head portion, 11, of theprotective garment shown in FIG. 2 includes a single piece ofmulti-directional stretch fabric, which fits comfortably over thequadrupeds head, ears and neck areas and is secured around the neck areausing a fastening mechanism, 17.

In another important aspect of the head portion, 11, of the protectivegarment shows the head portion, 11, is further secured to the head ofthe quadruped by using a strap, 12, to fit across the bridge of the noseand connect using a fastening mechanism, 12 a, to connect to both theleft and right side at the upper region of the head portion, 11, and thehead portion, 11, is further secured by using a strap, 13, to fitcomfortably under the chin and connect using a fastening mechanism, 13a, to connect to both the left and right side at the lower region of thehead. In an important aspect of the head portion, 11, it may be finishedwith a seam to prevent fraying

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the protective garment. In an importantaspect of the invention, and as further shown in FIG. 1 a and FIG. 1 b,the torso portion, 1, has a top portion opening, 3, which splits the topof the torso portion, 1. The opening has a seam on each side, and afastening mechanism, 4 a and 4 b, is placed longitudinally on eitherside of the top portion opening, 3. In an important aspect of theinvention, the fastening mechanism, 4 a and 4 b, may be Velcropositioned such that a female side, 4 a, of the Velcro is on one side ofthe opening, and a male side, 4 b, of the Velcro fastener is positionedon the opposite side of the opening.

The stretch factor of this fabric allows for a substantial range ofmotion by the dog or cat or other quadruped and ease of manipulation ofthe garment in the dressing and undressing of the dog or cat or otherquadruped by the user.

In an alternative aspect of the invention, the protective garment may bereplaced by or include other materials allowing same comfort and ease ofuse referenced in [0024].

Previous attempts have been made to prevent an animal from irritatingbandages and wounds by providing similar protective garments such as byCaditz, U.S. Des. No. 374,315 and also Zielinksi, U.S. Pat. No.4,355,600. Many additional modifications and variations of the POSTSURGICAL PROTECTIVE GARMENT FOR QUADRAPEDS of the present invention arepossible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein

What is claimed is:
 1. A protective post surgical/post treatment garmentfor dogs and cats or other quadrupeds comprising: three (3) individualparts being a body portion, a leg portion and a head portion all madefrom a multi- directional stretch fabric.
 2. A protective postsurgical/post treatment garment for dogs and cats or other quadrupedsaccording to claim 1 wherein the body portion is a single piece ofmulti-directional stretch fabric, which wraps around the torso area ofthe animal and uses an attachment mechanism to secure the two sidestogether, and the body portion is further secured by an attached strapof the same multi-directional fabric such that said strap is sewn intothe body portion of said garment and is brought around the front of theanimal's thoracic region and secured on the opposite side using asecuring mechanism as an attachment component portion, and saidattachment portion contains extra length to allow for sizing adjustmentswithin the same garment size, and said body portion includes at leastfour loops in said multi-directional stretch fabric sewn into both theleft and right sides of said garment, and at least two of said loops ofthe same multi-directional stretch fabric are sewn in to the right frontand right back side and at least two of these four loops of the samemulti-directional stretch fabric are sewn in to both the left front andthe left back side of the garment.
 3. A protective post surgical/posttreatment garment for dogs and cats and other quadrupeds according toclaim 1, wherein the garment made of a durable and washablemulti-directional stretch fabric that provides a comfortable fit andease of movement.
 4. A protective post surgical/post treatment garmentfor dogs and cats and other quadrupeds wherein the garment is elongateddown the back and cut out underneath the belly for comfort and to betteraccommodate the male anatomy.
 5. A protective post surgical/posttreatment garment for dogs and cats and other quadrupeds according toclaim 1, comprised of: a separate leg portion, wherein said leg portioncan be used on any of the front or hind legs, and said leg portion canbe attached to and detached from said garment torso portion ifnecessary, and said leg portion is comprised of the samemulti-directional stretch fabric as said torso portion with an attachedstrap made of the same multi-directional stretch fabric sewn into theoutside, top middle area of said leg portion.
 6. A protective postsurgical/post treatment garment for dogs and cats and other quadrupedsaccording to claim 1, wherein there is a separate head portion, suchthat, the head portion can be used independently from the body portionand leg portion; and the head portion is comprised of the samemulti-directional stretch fabric as the body portion and the legportion, and the head portion covers the head, to include the brow areaand above, the ears and the neck area of the quadruped, and the headportion comprises two straps sewn into each side of the head portion atdifferent heights, and where one said strap fits across the bridge ofthe nose and the other said strap fits under the chin area, and saidstraps are used to secure the head portion to the head of the said dogor cat or quadruped, and where an alternate means of attachment may beused to secure the head portion to the head, ears and neck of said dogor cat or other quadruped.